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I've climbed my world of trees today,
Before they had to go their way.
Before the sunlight met the sea,
Each tree I saw called out to me.
The green green tree with boughs of steel
Was pure and utterly ideal.
And I climbed quick as a whippoorwill
Springing from the window seal.
I climbed it grand, and oh, so high-
Through the thrush's song, and a robin's cry.
Through the deepest green that caught the day,
And promised to steal me away.
And I climbed a Monkey Puzzle Tree
As old as half a tree can be.
And it laughed to see me rustle through
Branches old and branches new.
I sailed through leaves as soft as lent,
Where spiral blossoms lept to play
Fragrant little games of chance
Within the haunt of their bouquet.
When the tall, tall, red tree called my name,
The one with pepper blossoms high,
And since no two trees are the same
I followed this one to the sky.
Up through branches bathed in light,
And down through tunnels in the bark,
I climbed this one with all my might,
Through the gray and winding dark.
Until I found my afternoon
Still waiting for me like the day.
I gave the tree a bit of heart
And watched it as it sailed away.
And there, beyond the Tin Tin Tree,
Where apple roses blossomed grand,
I noticed resting on its knee
The finest tree to ever stand.
A hundred, hundred trees in one,
Would be an awful lot of fun
Just to take a branch today
And rest the afternoon away,
But, Oh, I had to climb it high,
As high as God could make a sky.
I had to see the stars that He
With clever skill hid well from me.
I had to touch the setting sun,
Under my after-evening's shroud,
So up I went, through branches, bows,
Crossing leaves that laughed aloud.
Leaves that seemed to know my name,
That weaved their winding whispers through
That starlit flicker of a flame
I tried but could not look into.
I swung from branches tapped by age,
That creaked and echoed such a sigh-
The feathered leaves that rustled calm,
And I so briefly saw my sky.
There I paused and held my own,
My heart like thunder in my chest.
And I watched the quiet of the day
Paint ribbons in a robin's nest
And scatter shades of blue and red
Like waves upon my quiet sea,
And those threaded vines of dragons head
That weaved in through my Shadow Tree.
The morning bowed to afternoon,
As if to nature's sole command,
And shades and shadows drifted by
That secret place I chose to stand.
There were stars that climbed each peasant branch,
Stars that whispered to the breeze
That beat a hymn of ages past,
Known only to the trees.
Will-O'-The-Wisp's sang through the leaves
And danced about the sapwood sprig,
Darting here and pausing there,
Between each shadowed, lively twig,
Where EverNettles bright as dreams
Climbed deep inside the deadwood bark,
And called their young ones earnestly
To the safety of the dark.
And finally spent I caught my breath,
And peeled the spindly leaves away,
And waved my arms into the breeze
That sang the silvered songs of day.
There was a different world below,
A land of hills and river beds,
Of trees as tiny as the grass,
And roads smaller than the finest threads.
I reached out into the velvet sky
To run my fingers through the day,
Where the sandy silk of autumn brushed
The stardust noon had tossed my way.
And I breathed in all the wonder there -
All I could hear and feel and see,
Whatever wonder dared to share
From the branches of my Shadow Tree.
Copyright © 2013 Richard D. Remler
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"There is always Music amongst the trees in
the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet
to hear it."
~Minnie Aumonier
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Thin, this window, between our forms
As if we could but reach through
the wide ocean
Thin glass
And I would be by you
And you by me
And time would be somewhere... Somewhere middleways
'Tween night and day
So there we are, and in this midway world
Our dreams: first a moonclad night in the dark wood
Flitting from tree to tree in fickle follow of blue ghostlights
Then in the clearing they are golden, and we lay on the grass
and whisper lovespells with dancing lips
Now to a great tower, a city laid 'neath our feet
We sit on its edge and your face is sidecaught in the glow:
Warm marble, rose sculptures and goldspun curls
We're sinking
Down
Down
Down
A town under the waves, lamp in the murk
All wood and seaspray
We dance in weightless water, and I feel
the only way to stay warm in this frigid deep
is to hold you close
We stir, bleary waking eyes
and I pull you closer
Your smile I meet
your lips with mine
And we fall, once more,
into eachother
Later we will wake apart
But here, in our middleways world,
We can dream
together
It felt,
like a dream remembered,
a gift bestowed for no reason, save mine.
Conscious discovery yielding an oasis
from tempest or doldrum.
Without the energy or tension of a search
No plan born from need or design
No thoughtful execution of a magazine get-away
Luxurious coincidence, well cherished
Faithful lawn chair positioned for comforted discovery
A bath of sunlight and blue, still skies
Occupied birds singing faint chorus to joy and spring
Not begging for attention or warning, lest they disturb.
A cool spot found beneath the sheets by my wandering toes
When warmth has stayed too long and threatens to be wearisome
Lounging in the arms of my beloved, just longer than expected
The sweet kiss of familiar lips full and lingering
Chance audience to a little one's discovery
When no one is watching, a glimpse
the unfolding world of a child
Echoing back to wonder and a reminder
The observed gait of a cat in open grass
Her movement and mechanics newly seen
Exquisite design for her own purposes
And a glimpse into a world that is not ours
Not demanding attention
They pale my designs and grand efforts
They embarrass the clumsy media
With the slow fall of a reddened leaf in autumn
Dancing this way and that to find its place on earth
Inviting me to see
Let’s go out in the green wide glade
Enjoy the warmth of spring’s sun
the fresh air of spring in a lush green grass
You sit forlorn at your window
How long have you been this way?
Do not be weary my dearie..
Come out at once and feel the air of spring around you
Stand here in the middle of the field and turn around
Can you see the beautiful scented flowers?
Red, gold, orange and green...
Touch the red rose buds, the blossoming tulips...
The colorful daisies and the yellow daffodils..
All are here on a spring day, so you don't miss it..
Close your eyes now.. can you hear the songs?
The chirping of the birds..
The Unique spring songs
The busy bees orchestra
Singing sweet love songs
The songs of spring...
Bride to Be:
Oh how could he do this to me?
I trusted him undoubtedly!
Now I lie upon the grass
Hoping one day a man will pass,
And steal my heart from my chest.
So I can escape this god awful mess
Fiance:
My heart is trapped inside,
A woman of a common kind.
Continually forced to pay the fee,
Of dealing with those bound to flee.
I swear I could give her all she needs,
the complete effect of fantasy.
But I would be remiss.
In not mentioning her recent fear to kiss.
Bride to Be:
I am a wallowing bride to be
Wallowing in misery
A month ago surrounded in bliss
Until he had to take that risk
All because he heard a scream,
Trailing from a crimson stream.
Fiance:
My face is cut and torn to shreds,
And now my love won't be wed.
I only did what I thought was best.
Yet I was surely led to loneliness.
I heard a scream from down the street,
And immediately took to my feet.
Saw the face of a woman scorned,
And a man who saw no reason in leaving me alone.
Brightly, brightly, the sun above shines
The fierce wind blows yet remains kind
Tall trees stand reflecting shadows below
And the axis seems forever slow
Leaves scraping on the smooth concrete
Leaves us hearing something sweet
The warmth of day and the cold of night
Each holds within, a dweller's delight
A dweller's delight, a smiling grin
Beauty cries above all sin
The kiss of rain cannot be seen
When skies are blue and grass is green
When viewing the gorgeous, precious sights
That seem to take us to great heights
All the world seems quite right
And that's the beauty of a dweller's delight
It was then
In that park that day
Light breeze
Perfect pre-summer scene
That I realized I was quite diseased
As I sat pondering
The photogenic aspect of my drink in the grass
As it was spilling out
I am indeed modern at last
Dappled light through sheltering leaves
on a perfect summer’s day.
My lady love lies on the grass
Alas to pray, not play,
For I am one who gave his all
And have no more to give.
O’ to be anywhere but this,
I wanted so to live.
To hold you close,
and feel your kiss.
To let you have your way.
Honor’s call was
cruel to us both
on this Memorial day
Glittery, jittery raindrops.
An old, long lost friend turned cold.
Beckoning to move faster, and rush
Until out of the wet, and onto the damp cotton jump-seat
Faked bliss, but still happiness edges nearer
And nearer.
Little green bells of our lady of artistic inspiration
Observation and fresh vegetable
Graveyard maintenance.
The mundane.
Frog-legs dance on their tip toes.
Buttery biscuits and the sound of gagging from the stall--
Instantly gratified.
Small child-stares, and alone in a fantastic universe.
Melodies cease, imagination deflates
The mundane.
Sticky leaves stuck on black and white cats.
Voracious, they ravage the tall grass.
Passive-aggressive sunshine sprinkles now, and burns later.
Fortifying iced drinks, and pinkish, blueish, purplish
Does the sun go down?
Shrieking winds caress my inner hurricane, emotions haven't gone numb
Basking in five hundred degree weather, beneath a desert sun
I'm awake now, towards the moonrise I run
Every piece of me thrums, my heart drums
Across a frozen meadow, wither wildflowers in snow,
I am caught by shimmering eyes of gold
Two hearts beat
It's a lie, you're not alone
I've found us, and for now a home
So much to know
Soft hills of grass, warm with summer
Picking flowers, eating out of orchards
I fondly remember
Catching butterflies by the light of embers
Flickering fireflies in late november
Wandering through emerald fields of memories
Wishing for this moment to last forever, however temporary
Time for now is slow
While the sun sets low, we always know
We wander together
And never alone
